Technical Is this salvageable?

[miaaa]

My daughter had a crash during the week, I’ve been advised by mechanic that the leg on the left side has broke. This car has a lot of sentimental value to me as it was my late aunts. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions on if there’s any chance of saving it?

 

[The Panda Nut]

Almost anything is salvagable but its down to cost and finding someone suitable to do the work to the required standard. Its going to need a jig and a donor front chassis leg at least. You will probably need DVLA recertification at the end of the process too. I hope you do save it, but it may well be uneconomic in that a replacement and even newer car would cost less than the repair. '
@typecastboy is the member to advise on this.

 

[miaaa]

Almost anything is salvagable but its down to cost and finding someone suitable to do the work to the required standard. Its going to need a jog and a donor front chassis leg at least. You will probably need DVLA recertification at the end of the process too. I hope you do save it, but it may well be uneconomic in that a replacement and even newere car would cost less than the repair. '
@typecastboy is the member to advise on this.

Thank you so much for the quick reply, I’ll take a look at what you’ve suggested

 

[Greasytrucker]

A picture of the passenger side of the car would also help. Does the passenger side door still open as it should without any nasty noises?

 

[miaaa]

A picture of the passenger side of the car would also help. Does the passenger side door still open as it should without any nasty noises?

Passenger side opens without a problem, however driver side opens with a nasty noise which doesn’t sound promising. Sorry I’ll try to get a photo of it

 

[Greasytrucker]

Sounds like a picture of both sides would help then, but if any door is creaking when opened when it wasn’t before, it doesn’t sound good

 

[miaaa]

Sounds like a picture of both sides would help then, but if any door is creaking when opened when it wasn’t before, it doesn’t sound good

 

[bugsymike]

All you can do is inspect it very carefully for signs of deforming/damage to metal that will give you an idea of degree of work involved.
Has the insurance company been notified, if so they may take the decision out of your hands.
Years ago I had a customer with a Fiat Strada that caught a raised drain cover, no obvious damage apart from the road wheel, however on closer inspection it had caused a small kink in the roof between the front and rear doors meaning the body had bent, so car was written off.
Looking at the photos you have posted I suspect it will be uneconomical to repair even using second hand panels and front bumper etc.
Just as a guide check the second hand price on eBay for all the parts that you can see now that need replacing, then price in the cost of respraying unless you can find the same colour s/h parts. Is the radiator and air con still undamaged?

 

[miaaa]

All you can do is inspect it very carefully for signs of deforming/damage to metal that will give you an idea of degree of work involved.
Has the insurance company been notified, if so they may take the decision out of your hands.
Years ago I had a customer with a Fiat Strada that caught a raised drain cover, no obvious damage apart from the road wheel, however on closer inspection it had caused a small kink in the roof between the front and rear doors meaning the body had bent, so car was written off.
Looking at the photos you have posted I suspect it will be uneconomical to repair even using second hand panels and front bumper etc.
Just as a guide check the second hand price on eBay for all the parts that you can see now that need replacing, then price in the cost of respraying unless you can find the same colour s/h parts. Is the radiator and air con still undamaged?

Insurance have been notified, and I’ve been given two options which are either written off and money for the cars price or less money for repairs. Radiator looks good and the air con still works. I’m unsure on what to do as I don’t want to let it go if there’s any chance

 

[Greasytrucker]

The difference in panel gap where the wing meets the door would concern me, suggests structural rather than just panel damage. In the hands of the insurance at the end of the day unfortunately

 

[bugsymike]

I assume most of the o/s/f wing damage was done with someones crow bar to allow the door to open looking at it, otherwise you may have saved that panel.
As I said price up the parts and allow for more when it is stripped down, it is surprising how many extra plastic bits on modern cars are out of sight but break in an accident and need replacing.

 

[miaaa]

thank you all the responses, I’m going to look into what the prices would be to get parts for it but I’m not sure that I’ll be able to save her I’m really grateful for all of your time and help

 

[bugsymike]

thank you all the responses, I’m going to look into what the prices would be to get parts for it but I’m not sure that I’ll be able to save her I’m really grateful for all of your time and help

Another small point, not every insurer will cover Catagory N cars, assuming it is non structural, if it is an Catagory S then it will need a full engineers report possibly before going back on the road.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

10+ year old car heavy impact affecting the bonnet, front wing, bumper cover, clearly a headlight (xenon headlights are very expensive) the door on the other side is going to need a new skin, and that suggests the whole front of the car has been knocked sideways an inch or so. The bumper bar will almost certainly need replacing, any foams and any other damaged electronics, DRL, fog lights etc.

Yes it could be fixed, might even be a reasonable cost if using second hand parts.

Would an insurance company repair it... Almost certainly not. Too much damage visible on a car which is already getting old now, the cost of parts and the length of repair, especially if supplying a courtesy car would far out weigh the cost of shipping it off to Copart.

If I were a gambling man I would say its a Cat S every day of the week.

 

[typecastboy]

Although you can't see the chassis leg so it may be just the tip bent over which can easily be straigtened I've certainly repaired much much worse. Panel gaps don't indicate chassis damage they indicate panel damage. If the chassis leg hasn't swayed over to one side or up or down then it's a pretty easy fix.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Although you can't see the chassis leg so it may be just the tip bent over which can easily be straigtened I've certainly repaired much much worse. Panel gaps don't indicate chassis damage they indicate panel damage. If the chassis leg hasn't swayed over to one side or up or down then it's a pretty easy fix.

This is true, but an insurance company wouldn’t take a gamble and assume the chassis is fine, equally to check they would potentially need the front of the car disassembled. Far easier to slap a CaT S on it and ship it off to copart. Saves money on storage at the body shop.

My brother does very well out of the money he can make in his body shop just by storing the car and giving an opinion of the damage without ever lifting a spanner or screw driver. He gets to charge for storage until it’s picked up so if he says he cannot rule out chassis damage and the car isn’t worth a lot, then the insurance company won’t pay him to pull it apart and check they just write it off.


Any time spent pulling it apart is more money spent on courtesy cars, storage, Labour non of which is contributing to getting the car fixed.

 

[typecastboy]

This is true, but an insurance company wouldn’t take a gamble and assume the chassis is fine, equally to check they would potentially need the front of the car disassembled. Far easier to slap a CaT S on it and ship it off to copart. Saves money on storage at the body shop.

My brother does very well out of the money he can make in his body shop just by storing the car and giving an opinion of the damage without ever lifting a spanner or screw driver. He gets to charge for storage until it’s picked up so if he says he cannot rule out chassis damage and the car isn’t worth a lot, then the insurance company won’t pay him to pull it apart and check they just write it off.


Any time spent pulling it apart is more money spent on courtesy cars, storage, Labour non of which is contributing to getting the car fixed.

Oh they will definitely write it off but the OP can buy it back and get it repaired themself using second hand parts and non OEM parts for a fraction of what the repair cost will be.

 

[bugsymike]

This is true, but an insurance company wouldn’t take a gamble and assume the chassis is fine, equally to check they would potentially need the front of the car disassembled. Far easier to slap a CaT S on it and ship it off to copart. Saves money on storage at the body shop.

My brother does very well out of the money he can make in his body shop just by storing the car and giving an opinion of the damage without ever lifting a spanner or screw driver. He gets to charge for storage until it’s picked up so if he says he cannot rule out chassis damage and the car isn’t worth a lot, then the insurance company won’t pay him to pull it apart and check they just write it off.


Any time spent pulling it apart is more money spent on courtesy cars, storage, Labour non of which is contributing to getting the car fixed.

So presumably the OP needs to know before he starts if car is marked as Cat. S or Cat. N?
I also read somewhere that insurance companies automatically write off cars more than 12 years old, can anyone confirm that?

 

[miaaa]

Hi just an update to the issue, full transparency so that I can get the best possible advice I have been told by insurance that options are either write off and receive £5000 or keep car at cat S and £3000 for repairs? I have been informed that the chassis has shifted about an inch to the right and the left leg has been bent. Would anyone be able to advise on this and what option they would take on this. Thank you!

 

[bugsymike]

Hi just an update to the issue, full transparency so that I can get the best possible advice I have been told by insurance that options are either write off and receive £5000 or keep car at cat S and £3000 for repairs? I have been informed that the chassis has shifted about an inch to the right and the left leg has been bent. Would anyone be able to advise on this and what option they would take on this. Thank you!

I am sure @typecastboy will be able to advise better, but as I understand it, any repairs will need to be to a high/professional standard then subject to a thorough inspection and many insurance companies will not touch them or load the premium, so in my opinion it may be time to let go.